Containers often include a body and a neck finish extending axially from the body to accept a closure. The body usually includes a base, a sidewall extending axially away from the base, and a shoulder between the sidewall and the neck finish. The neck finish typically includes circumferentially extending threads to cooperate with corresponding features of the closure, and a circular end surface to cooperate with a seal on an undersurface of the closure. U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,316 illustrates a glass container and closure of this type.
A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, is to provide a closure having a feature that can be removed to release vacuum in a package that includes the closure sealingly applied to a container, wherein the closure can be resealed to the container after removal of the vacuum release feature.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A package in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes a container having a neck finish with an open mouth surrounded by a container sealing surface, and a closure including a shell secured to the container over the open mouth to establish a package interior. The shell has a base wall and a skirt extending from the base wall. The package also includes a gasket on the shell having a base surface in contact with the base wall of the closure shell and an oppositely disposed gasket sealing surface in sealing engagement with the container sealing surface, product within the package under vacuum, and an elongated flexible member having one end extending out of the package interior, and another end extending into the package interior. The elongated flexible member also has a portion that extends along the package radially between the container neck finish and the closure shell skirt. Grasping and removal of the elongated flexible member opens a channel to vent the vacuum and facilitate removal of the closure from the container.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a closure that includes a shell having an axial outer surface, a base wall with an undersurface, an annular skirt around a periphery of the base wall, and circumferentially spaced securement elements extending radially inwardly from the skirt. The closure also includes a gasket carried by the shell, and having a base surface in contact with the undersurface of the base wall of the shell and an oppositely disposed sealing surface. The closure further includes an elongated flexible member extending between the sealing surface of the gasket and the axial outer surface of the shell and around a portion of the skirt circumferentially between the securement elements.